As one of the methods for synthesizing liquid fuels from natural gas, a GTL (Gas to Liquids: liquid fuel synthesis) technique of reforming natural gas to produce synthesis gas containing a carbon monoxide gas (CO) and a hydrogen gas (H2) as the main components, synthesizing liquid hydrocarbons as a hydrocarbon compound by the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis reaction (hereinafter referred to as “FT synthesis reaction”), with this synthesis gas as a source gas, and further hydrogenating and refining the liquid hydrocarbons to produce liquid fuel products, such as naphtha (raw gasoline), kerosene, gas oil, and wax, has recently been developed.
As a hydrocarbon synthesis reaction system which produces liquid fuels using this GTL technique, as shown in the following Patent Document 1, a configuration including a hydrocarbon synthesis reaction apparatus which synthesizes a hydrocarbon compound by a chemical reaction, such as an FT synthesis reaction, of a synthesis gas and a slurry having solid catalyst particles suspended in a liquid is known.
Meanwhile, conventionally, the pressurized gas is supplied to constituent devices which constitute the hydrocarbon synthesis reaction apparatus if required in order to prevent the slurry or the like from flowing backwards from a connecting part with other constituent devices or in order to supply a fluid contained inside to the other constituent devices or the like. In addition, for example, inert gases, such as nitrogen gas, which is obtained by evaporating nitrogen kept in a cold energy facility or the like from the viewpoint of catalyst deterioration control, is suitably utilized as this pressurized gas.